Reid wants deadline for Democratic delegates

Sen. Harry Reid says superdelegates should make up their minds by July 1. This is in line with DNC Chairman Howard Dean's view.

There's a school of thought, which seems reasonable, that the sooner the race is finished, the more likely Obama will be the nominee. Clinton pretty much needs the Michigan and Florida delegations seated, and for that, she needs a floor fight she can win.

But if, as seems likely, Obama has won the pledged delegate count once the last contest is held June 3, expect superdelegates to rush toward Obama, especially if Reid and Dean persuade them to abide by the July 1 deadline.

Clinton needs more time to wrangle and cajole superdelegates, while also hoping some unexpected skeleton, or preacher, appears in Obama's closet. But now Dean and Reid are giving her a kind of deadline to persuade supers to come her way.